SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4358-y
Oxygen electrocatalysis underpins the viability of proton-exchange-membrane water electrolyzers and rechargeable Zn–air batteries, yet commercial deployment remains constrained by the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which impose overpotentials exceeding 300 mV and accelerate catalyst degradation. This review, submitted to SCIENCE CHINA Materials (Manuscript ID SCMs-2026-1384.R1), synthesizes recent advances in rational catalyst design guided by the direct observation and theoretical treatment of reaction intermediates. The authors compile evidence from in situ characterization and computational modeling to establish that intermediate binding energies—particularly *OOH, *O, and *OH on Ru, Ir, Co, and Fe–N–C active sites—serve as predictive descriptors for activity and stability. Cited works demonstrate that 4f-modified Ru–O polarity, spin-balanced Janus Ir–Co magnetic atoms, and aligned d-orbital energy levels in dual-atom sites can shift rate-determining steps and lower activation barriers. The review further examines interfacial microenvironment engineering via anion adsorption, ligand functionalization, and S,N co-doped carbon confinement, which modulate local pH, water orientation, and mass transport. Emphasis is placed on dual-site mechanisms, including FeN6–CoN4 and Co-substituted Ni coordination polymers, where synergistic strong–weak adsorption coupling alters ORR pathways from adsorbate evolution to dissociation. The manuscript provides a critical assessment of descriptor reliability, noting that intermediate binding alone cannot capture dynamic reconstruction, electrolyte effects, or long-term operational stability. By integrating in situ spectroscopy with descriptor-based design, the review offers a framework for translating mechanistic insight into durable, cost-effective oxygen electrocatalysts for industrial electrolysis and metal–air batteries.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4251-2
The human vascular system, characterized by multi-scale topological complexity, serves as the fundamental infrastructure for nutrient transport, hemodynamic regulation, and immune surveillance. Replicating this system is critical for injury repair, disease modeling, and organ-on-a-chip development, yet a key gap persists between structural mimicry and full functional reproduction. This review evaluates how emerging 3D printing strategies are advancing beyond geometric imitation toward integrated physiological functions, thereby helping to bridge this divide. Over the past decade, 3D printing has advanced significantly in functional vascular reconstruction via precise molding and cell-material integration. This review summarizes the latest progress, including material design, molding methods, and structural optimization, focusing on 3D printing breakthroughs in three core scenarios: high-fidelity in vitro vascular models, in vivo tissue functional replacement, and vascularized organ-on-a-chip systems. Furthermore, this review delves into the existing challenges and future prospects of these application directions. Keywords: vascular reconstruction, 3D printing, bionic vessels, hydrogel.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3709-4
Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) detoxification of ofloxacin in hyposaline wastewater is hindered by weak built-in electric fields (IEF) and rapid charge recombination. Here, we report a crystal dipole engineering strategy using high-valence Mo-doped BiVO4 to enhance IEF and PEC activity. Mo incorporation breaks lattice symmetry, increasing the crystal dipole moment and amplifying IEF to 2.05 times that of pristine BiVO4. This promotes directional carrier migration, improving electron-hole separation efficiency. The optimized 4% Mo-BiVO4 photoanode achieves 96.5% ofloxacin degradation within 60 minutes and maintains 91.9% degradation efficiency in natural lake water containing saline and organic interferents, demonstrating exceptional anti-interference capability. This work provides a strategy for boosting photocatalytic performance through unit-cell dipole engineering, aiming to enhance sustainability in wastewater treatment.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-025-3663-6
Escalating global climate change has precipitated a dramatic surge in building cooling/heating energy demands, critically undermining urban sustainability. Although dynamic thermal management technologies show potential for reducing architectural carbon footprints, prevailing active regulation systems remain constrained by energy-intensive mode-switching mechanisms and unsustainable operational costs. Here, we develop a zebra-inspired radiative modulator (ZIRM) that achieves climate-customized building thermal management through spatially partitioned integration of radiative cooling (RC) and heating (RH) functional units. The material breakthrough resides in a hybrid thin-film architecture combining a cellulose acetate/Zeolitic imidazolate framework-L (ZIF-L) porous membrane (solar reflectance ~95%, thermal emissivity ~0.88) with an MXene/ZIF-67 derived carbon-based absorption layer (solar absorption ~93%, thermal emissivity ~0.37), resolving the opto-thermal coupling limitations inherent to conventional materials. Experimental verification demonstrates that programmable regulation of the RC/RH area ratio enables broad-range temperature differential control from −4.3 to 12.1 °C during daytime operation. Building energy simulations reveal ZIRM’s annual energy consumption of 1.45×10^10 GJ, corresponding to 9.9% and 2.7% reductions compared to pure RC and RH systems, respectively. The established “configuration-environment-performance” predictive model pioneers a paradigm-shifting solution for carbon-neutral architecture, synergizing material innovation with climate-customized engineering strategies.
Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering•2026•DOI: 10.12030/j.cjee.202506084
Groundwater is a vital drinking and irrigation source in the loess regions of northwestern China. In Guyuan, a densely populated area in southern Ningxia, systematic assessments of groundwater pollution risks are lacking. This study collected 60 groundwater samples and employed the Nemerow index, heavy metal pollution index (HPI), and health risk assessment models to evaluate pollution levels and health risks of eight elements including Cr, As, and Hg. Results show that the groundwater is generally Class IV quality, with a mean TDS of 1350.9 mg·L−1. Average concentrations of As, Cr, and Mn are 4.39, 29.87, and 45.77 μg·L−1, respectively. The Nemerow index indicates moderate pollution. The mean HPI is 10.56, but a local sample (PS1-51-下) reaches 36.15, indicating severe pollution. Health risk assessment reveals that carcinogenic risks from Cr and As for adults and children are 8.037×10−6 a−1 and 3.863×10−6 a−1, respectively, below US EPA limits but above recommended levels by Swedish and Dutch agencies, with children at higher risk. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes and principal component analysis suggest that groundwater is primarily recharged by atmospheric precipitation. Cr, Zn, and Mn mainly originate from regional copper ore belts, coal mining, and agricultural activities. This study fills a gap in multidimensional groundwater assessment in populated loess areas, identifies pollution characteristics distinct from typical loess regions, and provides a scientific basis for regional water resource risk management and sustainable development.
Journal of Fuel Chemistry and Technology•2026•DOI: 10.3724/2097-213X.2026.JFCT.0001
The escalating global demand for carbon reduction has positioned chemical absorption using alkanolamine solvents as the predominant post-combustion CO2 capture technology, owing to its high absorption efficiency and process maturity. However, the regeneration of CO2-rich solvents is energy-intensive, with the desorption step accounting for 40.0%–60.0% of total energy consumption. Traditional amine-based methods suffer from high energy penalties, solvent degradation, and equipment corrosion, limiting scalability. Catalytic CO2 desorption, employing solid acid catalysts (SACs), has emerged to address these challenges by lowering the activation energy for CO2 release, enhancing reaction kinetics, and enabling efficient regeneration at lower temperatures (110–130 °C reduced). This review systematically examines research from the past five years on key catalyst materials, focusing on structure-activity relationships, synergistic mechanisms of Lewis acid, Brønsted acid, and basic sites, and their influence on desorption pathways. It highlights that SACs not only improve desorption dynamics but also facilitate catalyst recovery, avoiding adverse effects on absorption. The paper analyzes current scientific and technological challenges, including catalyst stability, selectivity, and scale-up, and provides an outlook on industrial application in low-cost carbon capture. Key findings indicate that catalysts such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), heteropolyacids, and waste-derived materials can reduce regeneration energy by up to 30%–40% while maintaining high desorption efficiency. The review underscores the potential of catalytic regeneration to significantly lower operational costs and enhance the viability of amine-based CO2 capture in industrial settings.
SCIENCE CHINA Materials•2026•DOI: 10.1007/s40843-026-4117-y
Real-time, in situ imaging of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a key reactive oxygen species implicated in various diseases, remains challenging due to limitations of existing probes, such as short emission wavelengths and reliance on external excitation. To address these issues, we developed an H2O2-triggered near-infrared (NIR) chemiluminescence (CL) nanoprobe with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics for in vivo inflammation imaging and tumor theranostics. This nanoprobe, denoted as CPPO@TN NPs, was constructed by co-encapsulating a tailored AIE photosensitizer (TN) with strong NIR emission and high singlet oxygen (1O2) generation, a H2O2-responsive chemiluminescent substrate (CPPO), and soybean oil (as a retarder) within F-127 micelles. Upon encountering H2O2, the nanoprobe undergoes a persistent chemically initiated electron exchange luminescence (CIEEL) process that activates AIEgens, resulting in intense NIR chemiluminescence and sustained 1O2 production without the need for external irradiation. Leveraging this mechanism, CPPO@TN NPs achieved highly sensitive and specific imaging of drug-induced liver injury and peritonitis in murine models, with exceptional tissue penetration and signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, the nanoprobe facilitated effective self-luminescent imaging and photodynamic therapy of tumors, significantly inhibiting tumor growth in a 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model. This platform provides an external light excitation-free theranostic strategy for H2O2-associated diseases.